Stars and Bars (1988)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Pat O'Connor

Writers:

William Boyd (novel)
William Boyd (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Action | Romance

Plot:

A British art expert travels across America in order to purchase a rare Renoir painting in the South but comes across some crazy characters in the process.

Plot Keywords:

Briton Abroad | Based On Novel

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Henderson Dores (as Daniel Day Lewis)
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Loomis Gage
Kent Broadhurst	...	Ben Sereno
Maury Chaykin	...	Freeborn Gage
Matthew Cowles	...	Beckman Gage
Joan Cusack	...	Irene Stein
Keith David	...	Eugene Teagarden
Spalding Gray	...	Reverend T.J. Cardew
Glenne Headly	...	Cora Gage
Laurie Metcalf	...	Melissa
Bill Moor	...	Edgar Beeby
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Shanda Gage
Will Patton	...	Duane Gage
Martha Plimpton	...	Bryant
Rockets Redglare	...	Peter Gint
Celia Weston	...	Monika Cardew
Beatrice Winde	...	Alma-May
Steven Wright	...	Pruitt
David Strathairn	...	Charlie
Bruce C. Taylor	...	General
Raynor Scheine	...	Drunk
Bob Bost	...	Auctioneer
Lit Connah	...	Lady at Auction
J.J. Johnston	...	Doorman
Peter Cherevas	...	Hot Dog Vendor
Tim Ware	...	Bartender
Jeff Lewis	...	Pursuer #1
Matt Hoffman	...	Pursuer #2
Mark Heffernan	...	Pursuer #3
Cameron Arnett	...	Cowboy #1
Victor Anthony Higgins Jr.	...	Cowboy #2
Robby Preddy	...	Hotel Receptionist
Allison Biggers	...	Hotel Receptionist
Darlene Jamerson	...	Indian Maiden
Ingrid Buxbaum	...	Photographer
Danny Fendley	...	Bellman
Scott Christoffel	...	Calvery Bellman (as Scott Allan Christoffel)
Elaine Falone	...	Waitress
Bill Cummings	...	Waiter
Randy Cash	...	Diner #1
Susan Asher	...	Diner #2
Sergio Aguirre	...	Small Boy in Canoe
Jim Aycock	...	Father in Canoe
Lisa Pastorino	...	Woman in Canoe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dean DuBois	...	Art Gallery Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Pat O'Connor

Writing credits
William Boyd		(novel)
William Boyd		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jack Cummins	....	associate producer
Sanford Lieberson	....	producer (as Sandy Lieberson)
Susan Richards	....	co-producer
Sheldon Schrager	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stanley Myers

Cinematography by
Jerzy Zielinski

Film Editing by
Michael Bradsell

Casting by
Risa Bramon Garcia		(as Risa Bramon)
Billy Hopkins

Production Design by
Stuart Craig
Leslie Dilley

Art Direction by
Becky Block

Set Decoration by
Anne Kuljian

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Lynn Barber	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Bonnie Arnold	....	production supervisor
Jack Cummins	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ned Dowd	....	first assistant director
Cherylanne Martin	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kirk Corwin	....	property master
Gershon Ginsburg	....	set dresser
Tony Kupersmith	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Colin Chapman	....	sound editor
Mike Dowson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gerard McCann	....	assistant sound editor
John Pritchett	....	sound mixer
Joel Shryack	....	boom operator
Maggi Travis	....	boom operator: New York

Stunts
Jerry Campbell	....	stunt performer
Lonnie R. Smith	....	stunt coordinator (as Lonnie Smith)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Deming	....	camera operator
John M. Heller	....	still photographer
Robert Kempf	....	key grip
David Sinrich	....	grip
Owen Stephens	....	electrician
Stan Vaughan	....	dolly grip
Rick A. West	....	gaffer (as Rick West)

Casting Department
Shirley Fulton Crumley	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna Maloney	....	costume supervisor
Neil Spisak	....	assistant costume designer

Music Department
Stanley Myers	....	conductor
Graham Preskett	....	orchestrator
Fiachra Trench	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Paula Squires Asaff	....	script supervisor
Robert Ballentine	....	production assistant
Tom Luse	....	location manager
Nicole Torre	....	location assistant
Teresa M. Yarbrough	....	production coordinator (as Teresa Yarbrough)
J. Michael Shirley	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Stars and Bars Limited

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Clarkesville, Georgia, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

A rejected score was composed by Elmer Bernstein

Movie Connections:

Features "The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo" (1964)

An astoundingly bad movie

Like a lot people unfortunate enough to see this film, I chose to watch it because Daniel Day Lewis was in it. I mean, I've seen this guy play Hamlet on stage; I know what he's capable of so what on earth possessed him to make such a breathtakingly terrible film? Come to think of it, what possessed Harry Dean Stanton, Joan Cusack and Laurie Metcalf? They're all good actors and I just can't understand why they had anything to do with such unadulterated tripe.

Thankfully I'd actually taped the film to watch later so I was able to stop and start and eventually just scan through it to see what the final outcome was. Needless to say, the conclusion to this truly lame movie was as bad as the rest of it.

If you're curious about "Stars and Bars" and are thinking that maybe you'll take a peek if you come across it just to see how bad it really is; do yourself a favour and don't bother. It's not even worth seeing for that reason.

As for Day Lewis, Dean Stanton, Cusack and Metcalf: hang your heads in shame people; you're all smart enough to know better.